


Present

by SpringZero123



Series: Spring Writes Stuff [19]
Category: The Boxtrolls (2014)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26713363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpringZero123/pseuds/SpringZero123
Summary: This took way longer than I expected. Anyway, enjoy peepol!
Relationships: Eggs (The Boxtrolls)/Winifred Portley-Rind
Series: Spring Writes Stuff [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784281
Kudos: 30





	Present

**Author's Note:**

> This took way longer than I expected. Anyway, enjoy peepol!

The sun shone brightly from above her head as Winnie walked out of the Portley-Rind mansion. 

Her shy smile has been stuck on her face from the moment she opened her eyes to start her day, but the thing is, today is not a normal day.

Today is the 17th anniversary of "Trubshaw Remembrance Day". For the first decade of Cheesebridge's celebration of this little festivity that paid respects to the "boy who was taken away and feasted upon by Boxtrolls", the whole town was actually told the wrong story all this time.

So ever since Snatcher's defeat, all the Boxtrolls, alongside her most trusted friend Eggs and his biological father had finally started to seep in through the sprightly streets of Cheesebridge. 

Sure, people were a little bit wary about the Boxtrolls harmonizing with their normal society, but the longer the odd creatures stayed, the more the townspeople appreciated their presence.

But a year after Snatcher's downfall, Winnie decided to spice things up by continuing the "Trubshaw Remembrance Day" tradition with telling the town a set of stories through stage performances about her and Eggs' adventure, of course with the confirmation and validation from Eggs himself.

Sometimes he'll be there to watch her perform on her very own solo stage just across her home, or he'll be too busy doing something else. 

Though, after an afternoon of nothing but storytelling, the duo aren't quite done spending their day just yet.

"Ready, Eggs?" Winnie asked her best friend from beside her. She can't help herself from grinning when he turned his head to face her with a bright smile.

Eggs let the tractor engine roar loudly, grabbing the control lever of his father's tractor. "Born ready, Winnie!" He replied with a loose laugh, slightly adjusting himself so he can sit more comfortably beside her.

After fixing the complicated machinery all around his father's now complex tractor, he looked at Winnie once again, silently asking her one last time if she's ready. 

Winnie can't stand him staring at her for a long while, so she gave him a quick nod instead. Without wasting another second, Eggs finally pulled the lever, and the pair finally drove off. 

To the peaceful lake below Cheesebridge.

None of them spoke a word, and Eggs is heavily focused on his driving as if he's intentionally ignoring her.

The tense silence between them made her ponder on the very first time they did this kind of trip on Trubshaw Remembrance Day. 

The both of them were so excited to drive off all by themselves, feeling like they're some kind of 12 year old adults. But before Herbert Trubshaw gave his son full permission to drive his tractor, he first warned Eggs about the dangers of using it carelessly.

Well of course, Eggs pretended to listen to his father, since the two kids knew very well what was about to go down that day. They already planned everything the day before, so there's no turning back now.

Then when Eggs got a hold of the tractor, him and Winnie immediately drove off fast across the town, nearly running over several civilians and some Boxtrolls along the way.

They were both laughing out loud like idiots when they finally reach their destination, before they decided to just sit by dock in the lake, take off their shoes and dip their feet on the cool water to just talk and chill.

Not long after that though, Eggs suddenly jumped into the water, and she still remembers the way he grinned at her when he heard her laugh.

Though she shouldn't have laughed for a little longer, because Eggs didn't think twice and pulled her in with him, getting the both of them very wet. 

While she was rambling on about how improper it was to pull her in with him, he was just laughing at her like a loud madman. 

And later on, Winnie realized that he's just enjoying his day with her.

Then after convincing Eggs to finally get out of the lake, they got on the tractor and drove back to the town above with the both of them just sitting there, soaking wet. 

Eggs didn't get the chance to apologize to her after realizing that she was indeed pissed off because of what he did, but before she went home, she gave him a tight hug before telling him that she had a fun day.

She didn't get to see his reaction afterwards, but she knew that the both of them will cherish that day forever.

Sure she was still mad at Eggs for what he did, but she'll never ever forget that day. That was the most fun they'd had since they became best friends.

The following morning, Herbert Trubshaw scolded Eggs for misusing the tractor, meanwhile her own father scolded her for causing too much trouble around the whole town. 

Though, ever since that incident, the two of them grew closer and closer. And with each year they took a trip down the long lake below town, the talks became more and more meaningful. 

But last year's visit definitely made the two of them awkward around each other, with that day ending in a very weird note that may or may not destroy their friendship for good.

Winnie just wanted her very best friend back. The thing is, she's not sure if she can look at him as her best friend anymore. Every moment after last year's visit felt very weird, but it felt so right. 

She didn't know why she can't help but think about what happened. 

She didn't know why she now finds it hard to even start a conversation with him.

She didn't know why she's suddenly very self aware of herself whenever they're together.

She didn't know how many times she felt nothing but warmth whenever Eggs crosses her mind from time to time. 

Winnie's thoughts were disrupted by his shoulder slightly brushing against hers, and when she's pulled back to reality, she realized that they were already at the long lake.

Eggs got off the tractor to help her down, before the two of them went towards the long lake, sitting on the dock nearby, taking off their shoes as usual, before dipping their feet onto the cool water. 

Everything around them is so silent, leaving the both of them in an awkward ambience.

"So," Eggs started, slightly moving his feet on top of the water. "How was it today?" He asked her warily. 

Winnie smiled lightly, keeping her eyes on the water in front of them. "Oh you know, the usual."

"They're still listening to that same old story you told them from years ago?" Eggs asked her again, making her turn her head to face him, giving him a small nod. 

"Well, today is the only day the town can celebrate your legend, or at least that's how everybody puts it," she explained, her gaze travelling back down to the peaceful lake below them.

Eggs hoped he had the courage to clear their air right now, but whenever he tried to speak, nothing came out of his mouth, so he just remained silent. 

"Are we seriously not going to talk about what happened last year?" Winnie suddenly asked him out of the blue.

Eggs' face immediately burned red, slightly embarrassed that Winnie was the one who asked about that first before him. "I was going to," he responded shyly, diverting his eyes away from her. 

They knew that talking about this would be very hard for the both of them, because this conversation could either end up in the good way, or the bad way.

"Be honest with me Eggs," Winnie started, earning enough courage in herself to turn her body to face him. "Have you been thinking about it? Ever since it happened...?"

Well, there's no point in trying to escape this now. "Yes," he answered softly, looking at her with a small smile. "Every second that passed after that," he added, pursing his lips. 

He can still clearly remember how it felt like, even if it did happen briefly. To have his lips against hers.

"So, why did you do it?" Winnie can't even bring herself to say the action he did one year ago this very day. It's not to say she didn't liked it, but she needed to know the reason behind it.

Eggs sighed heavily. "I can't say that I got carried away, it's just," he stopped, trying to find the right words. "Something inside of me just felt like I had to," he admitted, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

"And I knew," Eggs paused, looking away from her. "I knew if we talked about this, then it could destroy all the best years of happy memories I've had with you." Hearing his smooth yet genuine voice made her heart skip a few beats.

Winnie let the silence surround them for a while, making him frown slightly. 

"You know," she started, as he immediately turned his head to her. "I'm nervous to talk about this with you too," she finally admitted to him out loud.

His eyes almost popped out of its sockets in shock. "You, you are?" He asked her, tilting his head to the side to show his confusion.

His reaction caught her off guard, quickly making her face quickly flush red. She always wondered why she finds his confused face very adorable, but of course she wouldn't admit it out loud, especially not to him. 

"W-well, yeah," she had to pause because her voice slightly cracked, but hey at least it made him smile. 

But with that said, she sighed heavily. "Mostly because I'm scared that you'll think it's weird, and yes everything would be very awkward from this point on," she rambled carelessly, her eyes landing back on the lake below. 

Another unbearable wave of silence crashed upon them, with the sun slowly moving down it's colors to give way for the night sky. 

"Do you want to try it again?" Eggs asked in a low voice for the sake of breaking the ice. 

When Winnie turned her head before raising an eyebrow at his question, he realized what he just asked her.

"Try what again?" She asked, scooting closer to him, as their eyes gazed deep into one another. He had to swallow down the knot in his throat in order to answer her properly. 

"You know," Eggs trailed off, silently hoping for her to get what he meant. "The kiss," he finally answered, their faces slowly inching towards each other.

"But what would happen to us after?" Winnie asked him again, hearing her own heart thump loudly from inside her chest.

"I don't know," he admitted with a husky voice, briefly looking down at her glossy red lips. "Do you want to find out together?"

And so they did. 

It felt, fairly awkward at first, getting used to them being so close to one another, even if this is their second time doing so. 

Though Winnie didn't feel like she's being kissed, she just felt like she's placing her lips against something soft, like a lightly damped pillow.

So she grabbed him by his collar and pulled him closer, but the way he gasped against her lips made it feel like pure magic. 

Eggs tilted his head to deepen the kiss, but the way she moved closer to him made her loose her balance, causing the both of them to fall towards the lake, with Winnie accidentally pulling him with her.

They landed in the water with a giant splash, déjà vu suddenly crashing over them both. When they finally got their heads out of the water, Winnie quickly swam towards him. 

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I ruined your clothes," she apologized, feeling like a complete idiot. Great, she just ruined her first kiss with her favorite person in the whole planet.

She half expected him to be mad, but instead he gave her a goofy smile. "It's okay Winnie, really," he laughed out, carefully holding her by her shoulders so that he can look at her properly.

"It's not a good idea to go home looking like this, is it?" Winnie asked him. "Yeah," he answered truthfully, before looking up at the moon above them. "But we need to get going."

"Right," she responded bluntly with a small nod.

Eggs swam towards the dock, before offering a hand out to Winnie. She smiled at him, happily accepting his offer as he helped her get off the lake. 

Though their hands are still intertwined with each other as they made their way towards the tractor. He didn't even mind her leaning against him, even if both of their clothes are soaking wet.

When they finally got settled on their seats, Winnie worried that this day would end just like what happened last year. But then, he suddenly giggled out loud like an idiot. 

"What's so funny?" She asked, looking at him weirdly. 

He squinted one eye at her, just like the face he made the first time she saw him so many years ago. 

"Now that I'm comfy saying this out loud, you look adorable," he disclosed smoothly, before letting the tractor drive them off.

She can't handle his cute dorkiness, so she hides her flustered smile against his shoulder. "Shut up," she gushed shyly, letting herself laugh at how ridiculous she looks right now. 

But when he laughed along with her, she literally couldn't care less. 

"So," Eggs implored suddenly as they were nearing towards the top of the town. "Is this going to be a normal thing now? Us being like this?" He asked, his one arm safely wrapped around her. 

"I don't know," she answered him after a short while, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder while clinging on to him.

"But I'm fine with anything as long as I'm doing it with you." Even though she sounded very tired, he couldn't help but smile at what she said.

After a while, they finally arrived at the Portley-Rind mansion, Eggs stopped the tractor just in front of the huge infrastructure, getting off first so that he can help Winnie on her way down.

When she finally got her feet on the ground, she caught a glimpse of him rubbing his arm shyly as he diverted his eyes away from her. 

"I had a fun day with you today," she told him with a bright smile, nostalgia hitting both of them hard as she spoke the exact same words to him when they were ending their first ever trip.

Before Eggs can say a word, Winnie gave him a quick kiss, catching him off guard as his cheeks flushed bright red. 

"You better get used to that from now on," she joked playfully with a small wink, before making her way towards the Portley-Rind Mansion. 

Eggs stood there silently as he watched her walk away from him, before smiling to himself, eagerly looking forward to seeing her again.


End file.
